


Illustrated Heroes

by Owlwithafringe



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bedtime Stories, Big Brother Dean, Episode Tag, Episode: s08e21 The Great Escapist, Gen, Little Brother Sam, Pre-Canon, Weechesters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-14
Updated: 2015-11-14
Packaged: 2018-05-01 14:37:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5209571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Owlwithafringe/pseuds/Owlwithafringe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“You used to read to me, um, when I was little. I – I mean really little. From that— from that old, uh… Classics Illustrated comic book. You remember that?”</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Illustrated Heroes

_“You used to read to me, um, when I was little. I – I mean really little. From that— from that old, uh… Classics Illustrated comic book. You remember that? Knights of the Round Table. Had all of King Arthur's knights, and they were all on the quest for the Holy Grail. And I remember looking at this picture of Sir Galahad, and, and, and he was kneeling, and— and light streaming over his face, and— I remember... thinking, uh, I could never go on a quest like that. Because I'm not clean. I mean, I w— I was just a little kid. You think... maybe I knew? I mean, deep down, that— I had... demon blood in me, and about the evil of it, and that I'm— wasn't pure?”_

 

*****

 

Sam learned to read by the time he was four. He wasn’t completely fluent, but he was still far ahead of children his age. Reading was one of his favourite things to do - anything he could get his hands on: magazines, kid’s books, his Dad’s lore books, hell the side of cornflake packets. 

Despite his new found love for reading though, nothing beat having Dean read to him. It was a special treat when Dean read to Sam, a rare gift since Dean didn’t like reading out loud all that much. Of course, that didn’t stop Sam from asking him to read to him all the time. Most times Dean would say no, choosing to tuck Sam up in bed and make up a short story or hum a lullaby but sometimes, just sometimes, Dean would agree.

Dean’s preferred reading material at aged eight was comic books. Batman, Superman, anything he could get his hands on. 

One evening, they went through the usual routine. Dean puts Sam to put tucking him in tight and then Sam would ask, “Read me a story De?” and instead of Dean shaking his head, he grabbed his bag and pulled out a new comic book he managed to persuade his Dad to buy whilst they had been buying new clothes at the thrift shop. 

Sam grinned widely at his brother, chubby cheeks and missing teeth, as Dean slipped under the covers with the comic book in hand. The front cover was colourful, reds and blues and greens, vibrant around the Round Table. Handsome and brave Knights stood around it, like Guardians of Good and Right.

Dean opened to the front page as Sam snuggled into Dean’s side, resting his head on his older brother’s chest to look at the pages. 

Dean began to read. It was a bit jolted with pauses in between words as he figured out what the next word was, but it was perfect to Sammy the way it was. He was content just to lie there quietly and listen to Dean’s voice as he flicked through each page.

The illustrations in the comic were intricate and slightly distracting. Sam was absorbed in looking at each picture, trying to commit each detail to memory before Dean turned the page.

Dean weaved a tale of King Arthur’s Knights on their mighty quest for the Holy Grail, overcoming all sorts of magical foes and mystical beasts to achieve their purpose. Sam felt himself engulfed by the story, as if he were in it, watching from the sidelines, despite the fact that he was safe and sound in his bed.

Dean paused on one page, finding the wording difficult to say but Sam didn’t mind. There was a picture on that page that he didn’t want to look away from.

A Knight, Sir Galahad Sam thought, though he wasn’t entirely sure. He was kneeling before Arthur, pledging his love and allegiance to him and their quest with light streaming over his face.

He looked like an Angel. He looked pure, and holy, and _good_.

Sam stared at the image enviously. When he was grown up, he wanted to be just like that Knight standing valiant and courageous. Just like Dean. 

Something niggled at the back of Sam’s mind though, this thought that latched its claws onto the back of Sammy’s head and wouldn’t be shaken off no matter how much Sam tried to dismiss it.

That Sam would never be able to do anything like that, never be able to do something as sacred and divine as that. He wasn’t _pure_ like those Knights, like his brother. He wasn’t _clean_. He wasn’t good enough; he never would be. He was too odd, too strange, too much of a freak. 

Dean flipped the page and Sir Galahad disappeared from view and the story continued. 

The Knights fought bravely and conquered evil, Dean adding emphasis with hands and sound effects during the battle scene at the end, and by the time Dean finished the comic and closed it he was smiling broadly at his younger brother.

Sam smiled back and blinked sleepily at him as Dean put the book onto the bedroom cabinet before switching off the light after a quiet ‘G’night Sammy’.

 

*****

 

That night Sam went to sleep, curled up against his older brother. In his dreams he battled evil just like the heroes in the comic book; defeating monsters with his brother, being good and just. 

But in the end he ultimately knew it was just a dream.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to leave kudos and comments, feedback is always appreciated and motivates me to write more! Come and find me on Tumblr at **[Owlwithafringe](http://owlwithafringe.tumblr.com/)** , to see updates on fics or to leave me a prompt.


End file.
